County approves preliminary Bottlebrush Solar resolution

The Pulaski County Council voted to approve a preliminary resolution creating an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) for the Bottlebrush Solar project during a regular meeting on Monday, May 8. Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer summarized for the council what the preliminary resolution will do. He said that if they choose to approve the resolution, it will trigger the process that involves his publishing a legal notice informing the public of it, their setting a public hearing at the June meeting and their taking of public comment and deciding whether they want to approve the ERA designation and any tax abatement that might be requested and any economic development payments that might be offered by the developer. Councilman Richwine then made a motion to approve preliminary resolution 2023-04, setting the public hearing for June 12, with councilwoman Sheila Jimenez seconding. The motion passed, with president Ken Boswell, councilwoman Jimenez and councilmen Richwine and Mike Tiede in favor, councilmen Tim Overmyer and Brad Bonnell in opposition and councilman Jerry Locke abstaining.